Oregon Ducks Follow Royce Freeman to a 41-24 Victory

Saturday night was a wild one to say the least. Kickoff was delayed an hour due to lightning in the area. That preceded a crazy game for the Ducks. Oregon rotated quarterbacks Jeff Lockie and Taylor Alie in search of some sort of passing success.

Neither quarterback had a good day, but they combined for just one turnover. That allowed UO's running game to get going and once it did, the Ducks ran away with game in hand.

Royce Freeman was the workhorse. He had 27 carries for 163 yards and scored on touchdown runs of 29 and 3 yards.

The Ducks hit their biggest stride coming out of the lockeroom at the end of the first half. The second half began with the score 17-17. Oregon converted on its first two drives of the second half. The first covered 74 yards in 10 plays and ended with Freeman's three-yard run. The Ducks defense then forced a fumble, and that led to a 54-yard drive for Oregon that ended with a two-yard run by Griffin that made the score 31-17.

A few more meaningless garbage time touchdowns were added, and eventually the Ducks walked away with the 41-24 victory over Colorado.

The Oregon Ducks host Washinghton State next weekend at home in Autzen Stadium.

Related Slideshow: 5 Things to Watch For in the Oregon Ducks Game This Weekend

Oregon wide receiver Byron Marshall has likely been lost for the season after undergoing surgery Tuesday, according to sources. However, secondary receiver Bralon Addison is at full health. If there was a good time for the Junior wideout to shine it would be this weekend. Addison has 16 receptions, 216 yards, and 2 touchdowns on the season. Not a bad start for being just four games in. Look for him to have a big performance this week against Colorado.

The last couple of weeks have left a lot of open ends for fans wondering who the heck is gonna be under snap for the Ducks. On one end we have Vernon Adams Jr. who is quick, smart, and passionate. On the other, we have Jeff Lockie who knows the playbook, makes the standard play, and is a natural born leader. Both have potential, but both struggle in live game situations. The Ducks need a reliable quarterback, and they need one fast.

The title says it all: the Oregon Ducks defense is a joke. Allowing 62 points to one of the most mediocre teams in the PAC-12, are you kidding me? This will be the downfall of the Oregon Ducks, I am sure of it. The defensive coaches have done a terrible job recruiting obviously because they have their youngest players on the field, and also their worst players. The coaches need to reevaluate their strategy and hit the drawing board. A completely fresh defense would be fine by me.

Now a sophomore for the Oregon Ducks, Devon Allen had a big freshman season. In 2014 the freshman had 684 yards and 7 touchdowns. Those numbers would be impressive even for a senior. Allen suffered a knee injury in the Rose Bowl last season just before the National Championship game. The road to recovery has been a long one for Devon Allen that may finally be coming to an end. Coaches have said Allen is practicing at full speed, and could possibly suit up for play.

Oregon fans have been through an emotional roller coaster with this season's team. Before, we used to be able to look forward to what we thought was a guaranteed win. Now, fans can go to any game knowing full well that anything is possible, how nice. If there is one thing we can feel confident in this weekend it is that the Ducks will be dressed well.